Dipping apparatus



J. W. PEARSON.

DIPPING APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FlLED DEC. 9. 1919.

Patented Dec. 27, 1921.

3SHEETS-SHEET l.

J. W. PEARSON.

DIPPING APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED no.9. 1919.

Patented Dec. 27, 1921.

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DlPPING APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED DEC. 9, I919.

Patented Dec. 27, 1921.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3- Int/e11 6 (3. (70/22? 77,?

PATENT, OFFICE.

JOHN W; PEARSON, OF SAN FRANCISCO,

mrrme arrm'ros.

Specification of Letters Patent.

PatentedDec'. 27, 2 1921.

Application filed December 9,1019. Serial No. $43,400.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN W. PmRsoN, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of the city and count of San Francisco, State of California, ave invented a certain new and useful Dipping Apparatus, of which the following is a specification.

The invention relates to an a paratus for dipping fruit or other perishab e or tender articles. I

An object of the invention is to rovide an a paratus for dipping fruit an other artic es of similar nature for a brief predetermined time without injury thereto.

Another object. of the invention is {to provide means for submerging and with drawing a tray of fruit from a bath after a predetermined submersion.

A further ob'ect of the invention i to rovide means or transferring the dipped ruit from the'dipping tray -to a drying tra without injury to the fruit.

he invention possesses other advantageous features, some of which, with the foregoing, will be set forth at length in the followin description, where I shall outline in full, t at form of'the invention which I have selected for illustration in the drawings accompanying and forming art of the pres; ent specification. In said rawmgs I ave shown one specific form of apparatus of my invention, but it is to be understood that I do not limit myself to such form, since the invention, as set forth in the claims, may

be embodied in a plurality of forms.

' The a paratus 15 particularly adapted to dipping unches of grapes, prior to dryin but it is to be understood that it is equal y applicable to all articles which require dipping in a bath or solution. The rapid and economical drying of grapes by artificial heat requires that the grapes be dipped ina lye bath, to partially disintegrate the skins, prior to being placed in the drying chamber. The skins o grapes are very tender and the time of contact of the grapes with the lye solution must be accurately measured if proper results are to be obtained. Some grapes will require six seconds' contact and others, that is, grapes of a different nature, will require eight seconds,

and so on, and it is important that grapes requ ring a SIX second contact, for'instance, be given a contact of that durationand not materially more or less. A shorter contact w ll not produce the desired effect upon the skins and a longer contact will break or destroy the skins, and reduce the grapes to a practically valueless pulp. It isnecessary therefore, that the tlmeof contact of the grapes with the lye solution be carefully and accurately adjusted.

Economicall it is impossible to dip the grape a bunc at a time, and the bunches of grapes are consequentl arranged in a tray having a perforate or foraminous bottom and the loaded tray submerged in the solutlon. The specific gravity of grapes is only sllghtly greater than that of the solution, so that 1f the tray, is plun ed or forced into the solution, the grapes wi float, and consequently become disarranged, pass over the edge of the tray and become generally messed up. In the apparatus of my invention the loaded tray 1s permitted to slnk gently into the solution, so that the grapes become submerged without becoming dlsarranged. Similarly, if the tray is raised quickly in the solution, the grapes are forced to the bottom of the tray, closing or partly closm the apertures or openings therein, so that t e grapes are crushed and the raised tray is fi ed or partly filled with the solution. In my ap aratus I prevent this, by slowly raisin t e .tray through the solution so that t e solution may pass'through the bottom without material. obstruction.

I have found that it is not practical 'to dry the grapes in the trays in which they are dipped and have rovided means for transferring the dippe grapes from the dipping and I therefore prefer to use a metal tray for dipping and then transfer the grapes to a wooden tray for drying.

The apparatus of my invention is substantially automatic, operating to slowly submerge and raise the tray in the lye solu tion, repeat this operation in a wash bath, such as water and transfer the grapes to the drying tray.

In the accompanying drawings I have shown one form of apparatus for carrying out the process of my invention. Referring to said drawings:

Figure 1 is a side elevation, partly in section, of the apparatus of my invention.

Fig. 2 is a plane or top view of the ap paratus.

Fig. 3 is an end elevation of the apparatus.

Fig. 4 is a section taken across Fig. 1.

Fig. 5 is a plan view of a dipping platform.

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary view showing the conveyer bar in contact with a tray.

Fig. 7 is a fragmentary view of a portion of conveyer chain showing the platform tripping device.

Fig. 8 is a fragmentary view of a portion of the platform dipping mechanism.

Fig. 9 is an elevation of a dipping station, the broken lines showing the position of the parts with the platform submerged.

Fig. 10 is a side elevation of the tippling device, the broken lines showing the, position of the device when being overturned.

Fig. 11 is a fragmentary top view of the tip ler device.

ig. 12 is an end elevation of the tippler device. Fig. 13 is a tray.

The apparatus includes a dipping station, a washing station and a transferring station, a conveyer for moving the filled tray to the dipping station, receiving the dipped tray and moving it to the washing station and receiving the washed tray and conveying it to the transferring station.

The dipping station comprises a suitable tank or vessel 2, preferably made of metal and of rectangular shape, which is arranged over a suitable heater or furnace 3 so that the lye solution in the tank may be kept warm. Arranged above the tank is a plat form 4 comprising two spaced angle irons 5 extending longitudinally with respect to the tank and suitably connected together by rods or angles disposed below the lower flanges thereof to form a substantially rigid structure. The lower flanges of the angle bars are turned inwardly to form a track on which the dipping tray slides. The platform is of less width and length than the tank. so that it may be submerged in the solution in the tank. The platform is provided on opposite sides with supporting perspective view of a dipping made of metallic rods, which are secure at their upper ends to the cables 8 which pass over the sheaves 9, journaled on the frame 12. At their other ends the cables are attached to the lever frame 13, pivoted to the frame 12 below .the sheaves. Attached to the outer end of the lever frame 13 are counterweights 14, the effective pull of the counterweights on the cables being greater than the weight of the platform and the loaded tray. ,Upward movement of the frame relieves the platform of the counterweights and permits it to sink, with the loaded tray, into the lye solution bails 6, preferably tank.

Means are provided for raising the lever frame 13, to permit the tray to sink, then releasing the frame 13, so thatthe counterweights become effective to gently raise. the filled tray through and from the solution, and the operation of this means is timed and adjustable, so that any desired time of contact, within the range of the apparatus, may be obtained. Arranged in front of the frame 12 is a loading frame 15', upon which and upon the frame 12 are arranged tracks 15 which are alined with the angle bars 5 of the platform, when the platform is in the raised position. These tracks 15 are preferably formed of angle bars and the ends of the angle bars are closely adjacent, so that practically a continuous track is produced. Mounted on the frame 15 are sprockets 16 over which pass endless parallel conveyer chains 17 which are connected together by the cross rods 18. The lower run of the chain passes along the angle bars and across the frame 12 on the outside of the angles and with the rods 18 bearing against the upper edges of the angle bars. The cross rods are spaced apart a suflicient distance to accommodate a dipping tray 19 between them, and the trays are deeper than the angle bars, so that they project above the angle bars and are propelled along the track by the cross rods. The tray is thus moved from the loading or feeding platform 15' into the dipping platform.

Pivoted to the frame 12 at opposite sides thereof are levers 21, in the shape of bell crank levers, having their depending arms 22 lying adjacent the chains 17. At their upper free ends, the levers 21 are provided with rollers 23 engaging under the lever frame 13. Movement of the arms 22 to the right (which is the direction of movement of the lower run of the chains) causes the lever frame to be raised relieving the dipping platform of the counterweights and permitting it to sink. Secured to the chains. at spaced predetermined points, are dogs 24, which engage the arms 22 and move them to release the dipping platform. The counterweights are held suspended as long as the dogs are in engagement with the into the wash water an arms 22, and by varying the length of the arms, the time of suspension of the counterweights and consequently the time of dipping of the fruit is made variable. The arms are made in two parts, secured together by bolts; so that their length may e varied.

The loaded di ping tray is moved over the feeding plat orm into the path of the cross bars of the conveyer and a crossbar engages behind the tray and pushes it onto the dip ing platform. The dogs on the chains t en engage the arms 22, allowing the tray to move own'ward away from contact with the cross bar, which passes onward. The dogs are so placed that the tray is released from the conveyer when it is properly positioned on the platform.

The tray sinks slowly through the lye bath and, after the arms 22 clear the rollers 23, then moves slowly upward through the lye solution in position to be engaged by another cross bar on the conveyor. By permitting the tray to slowly sink, the gra es are not disarranged and by raising it s ow y, the rapes are not crushed by the pressure of t e solution. The now en aging cross bar moves the tray from the ipping platform, over the connecting angle bar tracks 25 into the washing dipping platform 26, which is of the same construction as the lye solution dip ing platform. Disposed below the platform 26is a wash water tank 27, into which the loaded tray is submerged.

This platform is similarly suspended from 'counterweights 28, carried by the lever frame 29 which is raised by the levers 31 b contact with the dogs on the chains. 'I he loaded tray is thus rmitted to sink is slowly raised from the wash water so that the grapes are not disarranged or injured. When the tray is raised to its normal track level by the latform, it is engaged by another crossar on the conveyor and moved from the platform 26 onto the tracks 32, to a transferring mechanism which transfers the grapes from the metal dipping tray to the wooden drying tray. As the metal tray passes from the washing platform to the transferrin mechanism, a drying tray is placed up-slde-down over the dipping tray and in the transferring mechanism, the two trays are turned over together to transfer the grapes from the dipping ,tray to the drying tray. In order to prevent the grapes from sliding to one edge of the tray during the turning over, the dipping tray is provided with a plurality of 'upward extentions, preferably in the sha e of transverse vertical walls 33, which divide the tray into a plurality of compartments. These walls 33 extend upward to the upper edge of the dipping tray and contact with the bottom of the superposed drying tray 34,.so that when the trays are turned over, there is no appreciable bodily movemen of the grapes to one side of the tray.

The tipping or turning over device comprises a frame or open ended box-like structure 35, into which the superposed trays are" pushed from the tracks 32 by the crossbar. The frame lies between the chains and is normally supported b the cross members 36. The ends of the rame are flared to produce enlarged ends to permit the ready insertion of the superposed trays. The frame is pivoted at its center to levers 37, which are fulcrumed above the frame and which normally lie at an angle to the plane of the track, and which are provided with suitable counterweights 38. At the open ends of the frame or tipple, are side plates 39, having seats 41 formed therein in position to be engaged by the cross-bars on the conveyer. T e tipple frame is of less length than the tray and the trays are pushed partly through the frame before the cross bar enters the seats 41. The continued movement of the cross-bar bearing against the end of the frame and carrying such end, causes the tipple frame to rise and turn over, the frame turning on its pivot and the levers 27 moving on their fulcrums. prevent the frame from tilting before the cross-bar engages the seats, I have provided a latch 42, engaging a lug 43 on the frame, which latch is connected to the tipping lever 44, which is engaged by the leading end of the dipping tra as the cross-bar engages in the seat. W en the tipple frame turns over, the trays are turned over and the projecting ends thereof are then disposed at the left end of the tipple frame. The next trays being moved forward by the conveyer, push the inverted trays from the ti ple frame onto the platform 45, where the dipping tray is removed and placed on the runway 46, over which the upper run of the conveyer travels, for transport back to the feeding platform. At the tipple end of the a paratus the conveyer chains pass over the rive sprockets 47 to which a suitable rime mover is connected by the belt 48. he conveyer passes over the tipple mechanism onto the runway 46.

The grapes are thus automatically and carefully dipped for a predetermined time, are automatically washed and thentransferred to the drying trays and the dipping trays returned to the feed latform. In this manner, a few metal dipplng trays only are required to handle a large crop and fill a reat number of drying trays.

claim:

1. The s stem for treating fruits to be dried, whic consists of placing the fruit in one of a series of dipping trays, introducing the tray into a continuously operative'consaid conveyer into successive baths of lye and'water respectively applying a drying receptacle to the tray after leaving the water bath, and then inverting the tray and the receptacle to transfer the fruit from one to the other so that the dipping tray may be returned to the conveyer for re-use.

2. A continuously operating, automatic fruit dipping apparatus comprising a tank,

a tray platform operatively mounted and arranged above said tank, means for moving the tray onto the platform and means for releasing said platform for downward movement.

3. A dipping apparatus, comprising a series of bath tanks, dipping platforms operatively mounted and arranged at the tanks to carry trays thereinto, and means operative to move trays onto and for controlling the operation of, the platforms.

4. A dipping apparatus, comprising a series of bath tanks, dipping platforms operatively mounted and arranged at the tanks to carry trays thereinto, and continuously acting means operative to move trays onto and for controlling the operation of, the platforms.

5. An apparatus of the character described, comprising a tank, a vertically movable tray support arranged above said tank and adapted to receive a tray of fruit, means for moving said tray onto said support and means operative by the moving means for releasing said support for downward movement.

6. An apparatus .of the character described, comprising a tank, a vertically movable tray support arranged above said tank, a conveyer for moving a tray onto said support, a counterweight normally holding said support inthe raised position, and means for releasing said counterweight from the support so that the support moves downwardly.

7 An apparatus of the character described, comprising a tank, a vertically movable tray support arranged above said tank, a conveyer for moving a tray onto said support, a counterweight normally holding said support in the raised position, and means for raising the counterweight to permit the support to descend into the tank and for releasing the counterweight to raise the support from the tank.

An automatic apparatus of the character described, comprising a tank, a tray support arranged above the tank, means for releasing the tray support to permit the tray to sink into the liquid in the tank, and a counterweight for raising said tray from the liquid.

9. An apparatus of the character described, comprising a tank, a tray support arranged above the tank,-means for releasing the tray support to permit the tray to sink and a tippl into the liquid in the tank, a counterweight for raising the tray from the liquid, and

means for timing the contact of the tray with the liquid.

10. An apparatus of the character described, comprising a tank, a tray support arranged above the tank, a counterweight connected to said support, a conveyer for movin a tray onto said support, and means operative by the conveyer for holding said counterweight elevated for a predetermined time.

11. In an apparatus of the character described, a tank, a tray support suspended above said tank, a conveyer for moving a tray onto said support, and means operative by the conveyer for releasing said support to permit the tray to sink into the liquid in the tank.

12. In an apparatus of the character described, a tank, a tray support arranged above the tank and adapted to be reciprocated vertically to dip a tray into the liquid in the tank, and means for timing the duration of contact of the tray with the liquid.

13. In an apparatus of the character described, a tank, a tray support arranged above the tank and adapted to be reciprocated vertically to dip a tray into the liquid in the tank, a conveyer for moving a tray onto said support and means operative by the conveyer for timing the duration of con tact of the tray with the liquid.

14. In an apparatus of the character described, a tank, a tray support arranged above the tank and adapted to be reciprocated vertically to dip a tray into the liquid in the tank, and adj ustable means for timing the duration of contact of the tray with the li uid.

15. 11 an apparatus of the character described, a dipping tray, a superposed drying tray, and means for inverting the two trays to transfer the contents of the dipping tray to the drying tray.

In an apparatus of the character described, a tippling, reversibly mounted fram and a conveyer for feeding articles into said frame and causing said frame to turn over.

17. In an apparatus of the character de scribed, a tippling frame, a link upon which said frame is mounted, and a conveyor adapted to engage and turn over said frame.

18. In an apparatus of the character described, a tippling frame, a link upon which said frame is pivoted, a conveyer arranged to move articles into said frame and dis posed to engage the end of said frame and turn it over.

19. In an apparatus of the character described, a dipping station, a washing station ing station and a conveyer for moving trays successively to the different stations and operating the tippling device.

20. In an apparatus of the character described, a di ping apparatus, a tippling apparatus, an a conveyer for movm trays from the dipping apparatus to the t1ppling apparatus and for operating said dipping and rippling apparatus.

2.1. In an apparatus of the character described, a dipping apparatus, a washing apparatus, a tipphng apparatus, a conveyer for moving trays to the three apparatus suc- JOHN W. PEARSON.

In presence of H. G. Pnos'r. 

